Idealist Coach: Strategic Life Coaching & Consulting

May 15, 2008, 5:30-8:30 PM

Discover Pittsburgh!
Duquesne University Power Center
See the PUMP website for more details.
Limited pre-release copies of Naked Idealism will be available.

May 29, 2008, 5:30 PM - 8 PM

The “ENTREPRENEURIAL THURSDAYS” Happy Hour Show
LIVE RHYTHM, JAZZ & BLUES
Musical Networking Happy Hour

Upstairs At Sassy Marie’s,
(formerly the James Street Tavern)
422 Foreland Street on the North Side
Free Parking
Hosted by Jazz/R&B Vocalist - Jessica Lee
Cover Charge: $5.00

Great Business & Professional Networking!

“Entrepreneurial Writers”
Featuring Interviews with:

• Tom Baker, President, Baker Leadership & Board President, PUMP - Author, “Get Involved! Making the Most of your 20s and 30s” (www.bakerleadership.com) (www.pump.org)
• Dave Wheitner, M.S., M.A., Life Coach, Composer, Author of “Naked Idealism” (www.idealistcoach.com)
• Daniel Casciato, Author, Journalist and Copywriter-2000 Published Articles (www.danielcasciato.com)
• Chuck Herring, M.Ed., Ph.D., Author, “YOU CAN ONLY HOPE TO CONTAIN ME! It is Impossible to Stop a Person that won’t Quit!” (www.coloringoutsidethelines.com)

Please contact me if you wish to schedule a complementary consultation after reading the information below. This will provide you with the opportunity to ask any additional questions, and will enable both of us to confirm that there’s a “mutual fit.”

My current packages and fee ranges include the following:

• Three weekly meetings per month, roughly 45 minutes each: $825 for 3 months paid in advance ($275 per month), or $325 per month if paid monthly
• Two weekly meetings per month, roughly 45 minutes each: $675 for 3 months paid in advance ($225 per month), or $275 per month if paid monthly
• Custom arrangements, gift certificates and organizational packages available by request

I offer a very limited number of discount or “scholarship” slots; please contact me if you wish to be placed on the list for this (I can make no guarantees regarding availability at any given time). Note that even my full rates are below those of many coaches with comparable backgrounds/training, as I wish to make coaching available to those involved in careers, causes, and endeavors where finances may not be the greatest reward.

These packages include between-session services such as review of assessment exercises in the initial “welcome packet,” the complementary initial consultation, and unlimited 5- to 10-minute “check-in” phone calls/e-mail messages.

I ask for a commitment of at least three months so that you begin to experience benefits. Coaching produces significant and lasting changes, but the bigger things usually don’t happen overnight. You may cancel at any time with a refund of remaining prepaid sessions minus a $30 administrative fee.

I offer both check and Visa/Mastercard payment options.

Naked Idealism: Expose Your Authentic Side and Create a Sustainable Life and World

(By Dave Wheitner, available online here starting June 20, 2008)

Subscribe to the Idealist Coach occasional news/updates list to receive immediate access to a free chapter with tools for clarifying your life purpose. Also visit the book website for additional information.

“Wheitner guides readers on a fascinating and fun journey of self-realization so that our vision can be realized…If you have ever longed for a life well lived, let Dave Wheitner and Naked Idealism show you how to achieve it and enjoy every step on your way there.”
- Jo Stepaniak, author or co-author of 16 books on compassionate and sustainable living

Do you dream of a sustainable and just world, but also desire more happiness, direction, balance, or fulfillment? Perhaps you work or volunteer in an idealist field and feel like an overwhelmed martyr, or perhaps you earn a decent paycheck but want a more meaningful career. Maybe you’re a current or aspiring progressive leader, a concerned citizen, or a student seeking more focus and impact. Maybe you long to bring forgotten ideals, dreams, or creative talents back into your work or play, or know someone who does.

In promoting ideals like environmental awareness, social justice, peace, and respect for all living things, we often neglect ourselves. We forget who we are and what we want. We may even alienate ourselves from others, including those who could help us most. This is an unfortunate irony, because we can make a much greater difference when we’re enjoying our own lives!

To answer these needs, Naked Idealism refreshes us with an approach to authentic living that supports both personal fulfillment and a sustainable, just world. Integrating tools from several disciplines, it outlines models and exercises to expose our authentic core, define what’s important to us, integrate our personal and community-level visions, and relate to the world more genuinely and effectively. We even examine our intentions for doing good. Are we past political correctness yet? We’re not alone, as Wheitner candidly shares his own struggles.

Alongside playful humor reminding us not to take life too seriously, we learn from tales of Wheitner’s own circuitous journey toward authenticity. Cross-country adventures, a peculiar rainwater irrigation system, vegetarianism and veganism, lesbian grandmothers from Mars, and a backyard abandoned coal mine make appearances. In the end, both altruism and selfishness - with a little more nakedness - may save the day.

Subscribe to receive e-mail notification when the book is available, and to access a free chapter with tools on clarifying your life purpose.

“I’ve read self help books before, and they’ve always been about problem solving. Those books were telling me what to do with the problems in my life, but they weren’t helping me achieve my dreams. With Dave’s book, he was telling me to think about what I really want, not what I should want. Even better, he was telling me that reaching for what I really want was how to be truly successful and help the world. Dave’s book…has given me a new way to reach for and achieve my goals.”
- Melody Platz, Writer

Please contact me if you wish to schedule a complementary consultation after browsing this site. This will provide both of us with the opportunity to ask questions and determine whether there’s a mutual fit.

My current packages, effective 3/14/08, include the following:

• Three weekly meetings per month, roughly 45 minutes each: $125 to $225 per month on a “pay as you’re able” sliding scale.
• Custom arrangements, gift certificates and organizational packages available by request.

I occasionally offer discount or “scholarship” slots for college/graduate students and others with exceptionally limited financial means. Please check for availability if you wish to be considered for this.

All packages include between-session services such as review of assessment exercises in the initial “welcome packet,” and unlimited 5- to 10-minute “check-in” phone calls/e-mail messages.

I recommend an initial commitment of at least three months, but you may cancel at any time with a refund of any remaining prepaid sessions minus a small administrative fee.

Dave Wheitner, M.S., M.A.
Idealist Coach
Pittsburgh, PA 15217
412.222.5999

I’m a life coach based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania who welcomes clients from around the world. If you have any questions or wish to schedule a complimentary consultation to learn more, please call me or e-mail me using the form below. I look forward to hearing from you!

Please contact me if you’d like more information on my services as I accept new clients in the near future. I offer a free initial 45-minute consultation, during which time we can both see whether there’s a good mutual fit between us. During that time, I also provide information on my fees and session scheduling.

I offer a limited number of discount/scholarship slots for individuals currently in or pursuing “idealist” professions or ventures.

Dave Wheitner is a life coach based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania who welcomes clients from around the world.

Hobbies and Interests

I love learning, growth, and creativity; and I enjoy seeing these processes reignite in others. Alongside reading many psychology and personal development books, I enjoy music composition, writing, beat-boxing (vocal percussion emulation), cycling, camping, hiking, gardening, vegan cooking and landscaping. My life partner Jen and I host what is thought to be America’s longest-running annual waffle party, and are currently the only home in our neighborhood with a homemade six-rainbarrel irrigation system. In addition to coaching many amazing people toward creating the lives and world they envision, my own future intentions include completing a book that will enhance the lives of many idealists, creating at least two music albums, and co-creating a home in an ecologically friendly, nearly-off-the-grid, diverse urban housing establishment.

Education and Training

While many coaches bring strengths from a specific discipline, my techniques are influenced by combined training in management, counseling psychology and coaching. I am fortunate to have lived, studied and worked in a diverse range of settings. After growing up in a low-income environment, I attended Phillips Andover Academy and earned my B.A. in Psychology from Yale University, my M.S. in Public Policy and Management from the Carnegie Mellon Heinz School, and my M.A. in Counseling from Indiana University of Pennsylvania. The Institute for Life Coach Training’s coaching fundamentals program helped me to blend these disciplines.

Highlights from Prior Experience

I have worked in a range of settings, which helps me to relate to others with questions like, “I’m interested in several things, but I’m not sure which way to go.” I love working with people to increase their fulfillment, I have a “techie” side, and I also have a very artistic and creative side. My past experience includes the following:

• Designed and taught a graduate self-development class for community leadership students entitled Leading Self and Others through Purposeful Creating. This incorporated many coaching-related concepts.
• With leadership consulting firm DDI, observed managers’ behavior, communications, and personality profile data, and crafted developmental feedback messages for them.
• Counseled men recovering from addictions and criminal behavior, incorporating coaching-based approaches.
• Managed the Baltimore City Data Collaborative, a multi-agency initiative on maternal and child health and well being.
• Conducted research and evaluation activities in such areas as regional environmental public health, the well-being of families leaving the public assistance rolls, youth civic participation, and urban economic development.
• Presented at academic/professional conferences on topics linking the realms of leadership, psychology and social responsibility.

Select Activities and Memberships, Past and Present

• Pittsburgh Coaches Association (local chapter of the International Coach Federation)
• North American Vegetarian Society
• Co-op America Green Business Network
• Cross-Continental Cyclist, Habitat for Humanity Bicycle Challenge
• Diversity Committee member, Carnegie Mellon Heinz School of Public Policy and Management
• Lead organizer, Rainbow Ride public education event on issues facing same-sex families
• Prospective student interviewer and Governing Board member, Yale Club of Pittsburgh
• Student mentor, Carnegie Mellon Heinz School of Public Policy and Management
• Vice-President of Community Service, Yale Club of Maryland
• American Counseling Association, including Counselors for Social Justice
• Bike Pittsburgh
• Highmark Subcommittee on Obesity and the Built Environment

The following phrases are (SM) servicemarks of Dave Wheitner, 2007: “The Idealist Coach,” “Expose more of your good side,” “Show more of your good side,” “You hold vast potential–fully expose it,” and “Create exponential good.” All rights reserved. Because I’m always interested in reaching more people, if you’d like to discuss mutually beneficial ways of utilizing any of this information on products or other entities, please contact me.

• What are the benefits of working with a coach who has interests in social and ecological responsibility?

• If the coaching process is driven by the client’s values, wants, purpose and vision, then how do you weave social responsibility into your coaching? After all, isn’t social responsibility subject to each of our own sets of priorities? How do you avoid “tainting” the process with your own values?

• Related to the above, how do you deal with political party affiliations in working with current and aspiring public sector leaders?

• I want to improve my own life while also improving the world, leaving a legacy, etc., but I don’t seem to have nearly the level of commitment to social responsibility that you seem to have. Will working with you feel uncomfortable?

• Do you coach clients who aren’t vegetarian or vegan?

Q: What are the benefits of working with a coach who has interests in social and ecological responsibility?

A: First, many clients with an interest in promoting a healthier and more sustainable world prefer to utilize businesses who are also doing their best to “walk their talk” in this area. This ensures that the money you’re investing in your coaching experience isn’t supporting a lifestyle that runs completely contrary to your own values.

Secondly, some individuals find it easier to relate to a coach who has common areas of interest, even though the sharing of such expertise isn’t the primary focus of coaching (that would be more akin to mentoring or traditional consulting). Where a client indicates a desire for knowledge in an area of common interest, I’m happy to share whatever information or expertise I can provide.

Thirdly, I work most energetically with those who identify as “idealists,” as their own desires usually include items falling under the broad umbrella of “creating a healthy and sustainable world.” This ties directly into my own life purpose. Because you fit my “favorite client profile,” you’ll receive more focused attention and energy than you might from a coach without specific interests in this area.

Q: If the coaching process is driven by the client’s values, wants, purpose and vision, then how do you weave social responsibility into your life coaching? After all, isn’t social responsibility subject to each of our own sets of priorities? How do you avoid “tainting” the process with your own values?

A: I believe that each person has their own unique definition of social responsibility, along with a particular area or areas that are most important to them–for one person this might be a desire to improve environmental sustainability, for another it might be a passion to strengthen relations among different race or cultural groups, and for another it might be a desire to convey ideas of peace through art. One of the tasks of the coaching process is to clarify your own unique set of priorities; the specific areas may or may not overlap with my own. Coaching, after all, is more about a developmental process that works across a range of interests; it’s not about conveying expertise in specific areas. I’m very open and transparent about my own values and priorities so that my clients are aware of my own biases and areas of experience–after all, no human being, coach or otherwise, is completely unbiased.

Q: Related to the above, how do you deal with political party affiliations in working with current and aspiring public sector leaders?

A: First, the short answer: As you can probably tell from my website, I am what most people call “progressive,” and I work most enthusiastically with others who fit that category, be they current/aspiring public leaders or otherwise. I’ve recently voted for members of a few different political parties, and am personally wary of the sweeping assumptions sometimes attached to such labels. Now for the more extensive answer:

In popular debate, political party affiliations are frequently tied to positions (beliefs as to what a solution should be) across a range of issues. While traditional conversation frequently remains at this relatively superficial level, coaching calls into play one’s deeper values which drive action and decision making, independent of such labels as party affiliation–for example, a desire to preserve human life. Through developing a more solid understanding of one’s underlying values, leaders can move forward with more integrity and groundedness through the maze of political labels, sweeping categorizations, and political pressures. In other words, political party affiliations don’t impact the coaching process, but profound differences in values might–for example, I would probably have difficulty working with a client who had absolutely no concern for the environment or human equality. I will provide notice of this if I sense there are factors that may impede the productivity and value of the coaching process, and invite you to do the same.

Q: I want to improve my own life while also improving the world, leaving a legacy, etc., but I don’t seem to have nearly the level of commitment to social responsibility that you seem to have. Will working with you feel uncomfortable?

A: I openly admit that I’m very far from perfect, and still inadvertently do many things that are socially irresponsible in some way. Additionally, I like the term “baby steps,” and I do not suggest specific levels of “social responsibility” for my clients–it depends entirely upon how such activities fit into the desired balance of one’s life. While the coaching process incorporates some structured exercises, it is ultimately driven by what YOU want. There are many, many aspects to social responsibility, and each individual will have different levels of commitment to such ideals. After all, one of the reasons for improving the world is so that others may enjoy a higher quality of life; it would thus be paradoxical to completely sacrifice our own enjoyment and all “selfish” pleasures in the name of such a cause. In some cases, a coaching client may want to increase their efforts in certain areas of social responsibility, and in other cases, an inventory of their current reality may actually suggest a need to decrease their involvement in such areas–i.e., they may be martyring themselves.

Q: Do you coach clients who aren’t vegetarian or vegan?

A: Yes. While I do hold a special place in my heart for others who are vegetarian and vegan, these expressions of my values represent only a part of who I am. The same holds true for anyone else, vegetarian/vegan or not. Actually, it was just a few years ago that I started clarifying my own values enough to make this lifestyle shift. I enjoy life coaching anyone whose wishes to use their own talents to make the world a better place, and we each have our own ways of going about that. If a client expresses goals that relate to vegetarianism or veganism, then I would support them on working on such goals as they define them. If a client does not express any interest in this area, then that’s not something we would focus upon.

Relatedly, if someone is seeking nutritional or medical advice, I would recommend that they consult additional resources (literature or experts in this area) alongside coaching. The China Study by T. Colin Campbell and Thomas M. Campbell, Becoming Vegan by Brenda Davis and Vesanto Melina, and A Basic Course in Vegetarian and Vegan Nutrition by George Eisman are good starting points.

I recently conducted a presentation/workshop for Pittsburgh’s Coro Center for Civic Leadership, whose highly respected fellowship programs strive to “prepare individuals for effective and ethical leadership in the public affairs arena.” During the session, I covered several of the concepts that drive my coaching. Coro participants provided the following comments:

“The fact that you tailored your presentation to our group’s specific outcomes, addressed all our questions, and engaged us in activities to better express understanding of vision, proved beyond empowering.”
-Andy Taylor, Coro Fellow in Public Affairs

“I enjoyed the parallels between what we already do with Coro and your advice. The shift of frame of mind from problem solving to vision was also helpful.”
-Mayada Mansur

“The presentation exceeded my expectations.”
-Antonio Lodico

“…It was more impactful than I expected.”
-Anonymous

“…Sense of humor and relatability. Strove to connect to audience.”
-Shara Siegel, Coro Fellow in Public Affairs

“Thorough without boring audience…Liked the interactive activity.”
-Melissa Wilf, Coro Fellow 2008

Community Leadership students in “Leading Self and Others through Purposeful Creating, ” a graduate course I designed and taught, completed several exercises similar to those I utilize in my coaching. Below are few comments they submitted anonymously via an instructor effectiveness survey, accompanied by this letter from the Dean of the School.

“EXCELLENT course. One of the best I’ve taken…Very practical. Thanks!”

“Dave is an excellent teacher and this subject was perfect…”

“This was a strong class that has made me think about life and my direction in life. This was also my best professor…I can’t say enough about how impressed I was with Dave’s ability to teach, lead, direct and inform.”

“Great class that even though it’s not over yet, is paying dividends in my life-personally and professionally.”

“Thanks you for a wonderful semester. This class came at a perfect time for me. I really benefited from having taken this course.”

“Great class-much more than I had expected! And probably the most useful of all. Thanks!”

“Great course, great instructor!”

“This class was top-notch. The curriculum was useful and timely. I think Mr. Wheitner deserves a raise!”

“The instructor seems to sincerely enjoy the subject matter that he teaches. This makes for a meaningful transfer of his knowledge to his students.”

Students also provided these testimonials:*

“My self-awareness has increased a great deal as a result of this class. I am much more cognizant of the way I respond to adversity. It will be a long process, but I feel I’m on the way to leading a much more positive life… I am so thankful to have been taking this class while dealing with the most adverse situations…I have to say that my ability to cope so well has made a major difference…I remained committed to my own vision. Thanks, Dave, for all of your positive feedback.”
-Lisa Marie Hall
Coordinator, Keystone College Center for Excellence and Leadership

“In sharing my impressions of this class I thought of trying to find a place that I have never been to without directions…We certainly can achieve life’s assorted goals in due time, but we make it so much easier on ourselves and so much more of an efficient process if we simply bring that map…those personal visions that have the final destination already down on paper with detailed steps that help us get there. We all have the right to alter those visions with new perspectives, wants, and needs …but we will always get to the finish line faster with our directions.”
-Jim Basquil
Animal Rights Advocate & Sports Media Professional

“One of the most important things I learned this term was identifying values and being able to see how they can work together as opposed to being in conflict. Also, I can reframe events - instead of being frustrated that a certain goal is not being met, I can see that I am responding to a higher value…”
-Karen Walker

“…This course has helped me put things in perspective. It’s not always the end of the world now for me. It’s about taking what you have and making the community you want instead of simply being in the community you’re in.”
-Pete Carey
Sergeant Major (retired), United States Army
Project Officer

*Permission to post the information on this page was requested and obtained from the students and department dean after finalization of semester grades.

Here I define and outline some of the benefits of coaching in general, and describe how it differs from related disciplines.

Coaching

Coaching is a professional partnership between a qualified coach and an individual that supports the attainment of desired results, as defined by the individual. It is most often done via phone, but can also occur in person. How often in life do we have someone whose specific job is to make sure we remain true to what WE want? When you are acting authentically, and in line with your purpose and values, you will not only be happier and more productive in your own life, but your stronger foundation will enhance your ability to lead others in your own unique way.

Depending upon your personal goals, the coaching relationship can provide you with the following:

• Clarification of your personal purpose, wants, values and visions

• Support in overcoming obstacles (including self-placed barriers) to creating the life and lasting legacy you desire

• Guidance in utilizing strengths and recognizing developmental opportunities

• Accountability for remaining true to yourself and your visions

• Action and results that move you into a refreshingly new range of possibilities

Coaches come from a broad range of backgrounds, and the best fit for you depends upon what you seek to achieve. You may wish to have someone who has first-hand experience in a specific industry area (although in that case you may really be seeking more expert advice than coaching–more on this below), you may wish to have someone who has training and experience in human transformation processes (these interactive processes may be applied across a range of life situations), or you may be seeking someone who has both.

Some of the following explanation of how coaching differs from many common forms of therapy, consulting and mentoring is from the International Coach Federation website.

Therapy/Counseling

I’ll spend a little time outlining the differences between therapy and coaching because the two are frequently confused. While I believe that my formal training in counseling enhances my coaching significantly, I do not currently conduct counseling/therapy.

Coaching clients are at a point where they’re willing to accept responsibility for their outcomes, and are ready to define and work toward what they want out of life. It supports personal and professional growth and development based on individual-initiated change in pursuit of specific actionable outcomes. While many forms of therapy focus on the “why,” coaching places greater emphasis upon the “how”–how will you get to where you want to go? Where necessary, coaching also engages in some forms of self-exploration that aren’t as common in therapy, such as clarifying sense of purpose and values.

Individuals can benefit greatly from coaching if they’re relatively high functioning, and have already sought (or are currently engaging in) therapy where it may be necessary. I’ve had both therapy and coaching, and have found them both very useful in different ways. If any of the following seem to describe you, counseling/therapy may be a good option to explore prior to coaching:

• I have, or believe I may have, a mental health condition (includes substance addictions) that still impacts my life significantly, and that hasn’t yet been addressed with a counselor/therapist or psychiatrist.
• I often find myself blaming others for my problems or current condition.
• I have unresolved past trauma issues that continue to impact my functioning; I need to work through and let go of them before I’m ready to move forward.

Coaching generally places less emphasis on improved emotional/feeling states. While positive feelings/emotions may be a natural outcome of coaching, the primary focus is on creating actionable strategies for achieving specific goals in one’s work or personal life. Coaching emphasizes action, accountability and follow through; and any efforts focused on the past are intended to form a more powerful foundation for this action–e.g., gaining clarity on one’s purpose, values, strengths and tendencies for “blocking” oneself.

If you’re wondering which styles or models of counseling bear some similarities to coaching, the closest is probably solution-focused brief therapy. Reality therapy and cognitive-behavioral approaches also have some commonalities. Career counseling in general also draws from many of the same knowledge bases as coaching. Note, however, that this opinion may be biased per my own coaching style and knowledge base. Some coaches, for example, have found ways to incorporate elements of Gestalt into their work. The human transformation disciplines continue to evolve, sometimes blending models and techniques.

Consulting

Consultants may be retained by individuals or organizations for the purpose of accessing specialized expertise. While consulting approaches vary widely, there is often an assumption that the consultant diagnoses problems and prescribes and sometimes implements solutions. In general, the assumption with coaching is that individuals and teams are capable of generating their own solutions, with the coach supplying supportive, discovery-based approaches and frameworks. I occasionally share specialized expertise in a consulting fashion, generally following the client’s permission to do so. This is why I utilize both “coaching” and “consulting” to describe the services I offer.

Mentoring

Mentoring…is guiding from one’s own experience or sharing of experience in a specific area of industry or career development…Coaches are not typically mentors to those they coach. Because coaching is a transformative process that can be applied across a range of situations, it is not necessary for the coach to have industry-specific experience to add great value for a client.

Here I describe some characteristics of the individuals and organizations with whom I most enjoy working.

In its broadest sense, an idealist is someone who places a high value on authentic living, and who frequently entertains ideas about how our lives and the world around us might be different—possibilities of how things could be. Because we often consider the “big picture” complexities of how everything fits together in the world, we see many problems and many possibilities that others often miss. In fact, we may spend so much time thinking about the issues of the world that we ignore ourselves—and the future. This not only decreases our personal sense of satisfaction and fulfillment, but it decreases the energy we have to create what we care about the most.

Idealists gravitate toward a number of causes: environmental sustainability, public health, medicine, animal rights, social justice, ethical leadership, labor rights, and world peace are just a few. In these areas we may take on very formal roles such as a director, entrepreneur of a socially and ecologically responsible business, political leader, physician, advocate, or human transformation professional (life coach, counselor, educator, etc.). We might incorporate artistic talents such as music, drawing or acting into our endeavors to seek authenticity and enhance the world. We may also take on informal roles, occasionally volunteering or engaging in civic action. Or, perhaps we possess great concern about the issues of the world, but feel too overwhelmed to act upon our concerns. Whatever the case, some common issues tend to impact us and the causes we care about. This is where life coaching has an incredible amount to offer.

Individuals

I work with high-potential, socially and ecologically conscious individuals who wish to take their lives from a level of good to excellent–as defined by them. If one or more of the below statements fit you, I’d enjoy the opportunity to learn more about what you wish to accomplish!

• I sometimes feel “overwhelmed with concern” about issues in the world, and uncertain where to begin–or where to stop.

• I wish to leave a beneficial and meaningful legacy in the world, AND I want my own life to be more authentic, integrated and sustainable.

• I sometimes find myself excited by ideas such as running for a leadership position, starting my own business, or leveraging my dormant creative/artistic talents, but I have not yet brought my ideas to life.

• I am a leader who desires a stronger foundation from which I can act with integrity and have powerful positive influence.

• I currently work in an “idealist” profession, but I seek more success, balance and fun in my work and life.

• I am a college or graduate student who seeks stronger direction, purpose and positive impact potential.

• My strong concerns for social justice, environmental, health, economic, or human/animal rights issues are sometimes difficult to integrate into my life.

Organizations

If you own or manage an organization and one of more of the below statements fit you, I’d enjoy the opportunity to learn more about your specific needs:

• My organization provides socially conscious products or services, and seeks to develop a culture of greater authenticity, and thus greater effectiveness.

• My organization is making concerted efforts to become more socially conscious, and seeks to develop a culture of greater authenticity, and thus greater effectiveness.

• My organization provides training and consulting to current or aspiring socially conscious leaders, or to others in “idealist professions.” We recognize that coaching would provide additional, long-lasting value for our clients.

Live well while working toward a well world! Quickly repeat this five times.

My mission is to improve the quality of life for others who share a vision for a sustainable, authentic and just world. Do you dream of a better world but also wish to create more balance, fun, fulfillment, or direction in your own life?

Perhaps you’re an overachieving idealist: an overly self-sacrificing person in a field such as health and human services, public policy, environmental sustainability, creative arts, advocacy, animal rights, social justice, or education. Maybe you’re not in such a field at all, but want more meaning and balance in your life. Perhaps you’re at a life or career transition point and want to clarify where to go next. Maybe you’ve given up on some of your ideals, dreams or creative talents, and long to bring them back into your life - but there’s never enough time or you feel like it would be “selfish.” Maybe you want to separate what you want to do from what you feel like you should do. Maybe you want to have more positive impact while also increasing your happiness.

Through my encouraging coaching process, you can define and create what’s really important to you, organizing your life and pursuing your ideals in a refreshing, more integrated and authentic fashion.

I operate upon two primary assumptions:

• When we’re happy with our own lives, and we’re honest about what we want, we’re better able to share our energy and gifts with others. We can have more impact when we feel fulfilled. We’re less likely to face burnout, and won’t feel as though we’re martyring ourselves.
• When we’re authentically pursuing what’s important to us in a more direct fashion, we’re also likely to live in a more socially and environmentally sustainable manner. This is because we’re less likely to seek other substitutions to “fill the void.”

Drawing from a combined background in coaching, counseling, and public policy/ management, I strive to help you recognize how brilliant and creative you truly are, and to leverage that!

The primary catalyst of your positive change process will be our weekly phone conversations, when we review progress on what’s most important to you, explore any barriers, apply learning, develop or maintain clarity on what you want, and strategize the next steps toward your desired life and world. Depending upon where you wish to go, we may also engage in exercises to “expose your authentic side.” Some clients already have very specific goals they wish to achieve, and some wish to start by gaining additional clarity on what they want.

I do not teach values or set priorities for you. You set much of the agenda and pace, and much flows from your unique purpose, values, strengths and visions. As your enhanced life starts to take shape between our sessions, you are trying and learning many new things.

I’d enjoy the opportunity to learn more about what you wish to create in your life!

Also, if you own or manage a socially/ecologically conscious organization (private, public or nonprofit), and you’d like to involve your employees in life coaching, please contact me to discuss your specific needs.